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Neighborhood Chat / Re: Student Journalist Covering Jackson Heights
« on: November 15, 2011, 05:51:54 PM »
Thanks for the continued discussion everyone. I've been tied up with midterms the past couple of weeks, but will be attending the 115th Precinct's Community Council meeting this evening.
mkn567 - I had never heard the story of Manuel De dios Unanue before, thanks for bringing it up. I'd be interested in doing a commemorative piece marking the 20th anniversary of his death come March. It's hard to believe he isn't mentioned more, considering the gravity of his death. Has crime decreased enough (over the last 20 odd years) that people aren't talking as much about the presence of cartels, etc.?
I did a quick search and pulled up a couple of old Times articles that mention a heavy cartel presence in the 90s. It sounds like Jackson Heights was a much different place then:
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/11/nyregion/jackson-heights-streets-familiar-to-drug-cartels.html
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/17/nyregion/window-immigrant-crime-jackson-heights-drugs-dirty-money-prostitution.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
Most information that I've found seems to show a significant decrease in crime in Jackson Heights over the last 20 years, e.g.: http://www.dnainfo.com/crime-safety-report/queens/jackson-heights
I live here too - That's a great story recommendation. I have gotten a fairly wide range of opinions from locals on crime/safety in the neighborhood. Some people say that crime (specifically prostitution, drugs, and assault) is a glaring reality, while others seem to feel Jackson Heights is bordering on crime free. There's also the middle-of-the-road demographic that says it's all about being street smart.
BTW, do you guys recommend any local advocacy groups or community organizations that would be open to talking about crime in the neighborhood? I'm hoping to discover a few tonight at the Community Council meeting.
mkn567 - I had never heard the story of Manuel De dios Unanue before, thanks for bringing it up. I'd be interested in doing a commemorative piece marking the 20th anniversary of his death come March. It's hard to believe he isn't mentioned more, considering the gravity of his death. Has crime decreased enough (over the last 20 odd years) that people aren't talking as much about the presence of cartels, etc.?
I did a quick search and pulled up a couple of old Times articles that mention a heavy cartel presence in the 90s. It sounds like Jackson Heights was a much different place then:
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/11/nyregion/jackson-heights-streets-familiar-to-drug-cartels.html
http://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/17/nyregion/window-immigrant-crime-jackson-heights-drugs-dirty-money-prostitution.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
Most information that I've found seems to show a significant decrease in crime in Jackson Heights over the last 20 years, e.g.: http://www.dnainfo.com/crime-safety-report/queens/jackson-heights
I live here too - That's a great story recommendation. I have gotten a fairly wide range of opinions from locals on crime/safety in the neighborhood. Some people say that crime (specifically prostitution, drugs, and assault) is a glaring reality, while others seem to feel Jackson Heights is bordering on crime free. There's also the middle-of-the-road demographic that says it's all about being street smart.
BTW, do you guys recommend any local advocacy groups or community organizations that would be open to talking about crime in the neighborhood? I'm hoping to discover a few tonight at the Community Council meeting.